Insect guard for sewer and drain openings

ABSTRACT

A CYLINDRICAL SHAPED TUBE IS MADE OF A LOW COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION MATERIAL AND HAS A FLANGE AT ITS UPPER END SO THAT IT CAN BE INSERTED INTO SEWER OR DRAIN OPENINGS. CENTRALL DISPOSED ON THE INSIDE OF THE CYLINDRICAL SHAPED TUBE ARE MEANS FOR PREVENTING INSECTS FROM CRAWLING UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH. THE DISCLOSURE SHOWS THREE DISTINCT EMBODIMENTS OF SUCH CENTRALLY DISPOSED MEANS, AMONG WHICH ARE TWO MECHANICAL MEANS WHICH COMPLETELY CLOSE UP THE SEWER OR DRAIN OPENINGS AND ANOTHER MEANS WHICH PRESENTS A PHYSICAL OBSTACLE TO INSECTS ALONG WITH MEANS FOR POISONING THE INSECTS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO CRAWL UPWARDLY THROUGH THE TUBE.

Feb. 6,1973 M. A. MADONNA INSECT GUARD FOR SEWER AND DRAIN OPENINGSFiled Nov. 2, 1970 FIG. 4

INVENTOR MICHAEL A. MADONNA Fflg w ATTOR Y United States Patent3,714,733 INSECT GUARD FOR SEWER AND DRAIN OPENINGS Michael A. Madonna,1900 Thunderbird Ave., Florissant, Mo. 63033 Filed Nov. 2, 1970, Ser.No. 86,133 Int. Cl. A01m N20 US. Cl. 43-121 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A cylindrical shaped tube is made of a low coeflicient offriction material and has a flange at its upper end so that it can beinserted into sewer or drain openings. Centrall disposed on the insideof the cylindrical shaped tube are means for preventing insects fromcrawling upwardly therethrough. The disclosure shows three distinctembodiments of such centrally disposed means, among which are twomechanical means which completely close up the sewer or drain openingsand another means which presents a physical obstacle to insects alongwith means for poisoning the insects as they attempt to crawl upwardlythrough the tube This invention relates to new and useful improvementsin insect guards for sewer and drain openings wherein it is desired toprovide devices to prevent insects from entering a building throughsewer and drain openings.

One method ordinarily used to prevent insects from entering into abuilding through sewer and drain openings is to seal the openings byinserting a plug or stopper in the opening. The disadvantage of thismethod is obvious in that it prevents the sewer drain from serving itsintended purpose of allowing water to exit from the buildmg.

Another method used to prevent insects from entering into a buildingthrough sewer and drain openings is to thoroughly spray the inside ofthem with insecticide. The disadvantage of this method is that within ashort time the insecticide is washed away by water leaving the buildingthrough the sewer and drain openings, thus requiring that insecticide beapplied on a regular basis.

It is the main object of this invention to provide devices which can beeasily inserted in sewer and drain openings to prevent insects fromentering buildings through the sewer and drain openings.

Another object of this invention is to provide insect guards for sewerand drain openings which have low coefficients of friction and thusprevent insects from obtaining a secure footing and crawling up into abuilding through sewer and drain openings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide insect guards forsewer and drain openings having an overhanging lip providing anadditional obstacle for insects to overcome in their attempt to enterinto sewer and drain openings.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sewer liner with aninsecticide-impregnated pad under an overhanging lip so as to poison anyinsects which attempt to enter a building through sewer and drainopenings.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an insect guardfor sewer and drain openings having flexible flaps which will open whenwater is flowing through the sewer and drain openings and which willcompletely close the sewer opening when there is no flow of water.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an insect guard forsewer and drain openings having a springloaded flap which will open whenwater is flowing through 3,714,733 Patented Feb. 6, 1973 the sewer andwhich will close when there is no Water flow.

With the above more important objects and advantages in view, and otherobjects and advantages as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the invention installed in a seweror drain opening.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a modification of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of another modification of theinvention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several 'VleWS.

Referring now to the drawings, an insect guard for sewer and drainopenings 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown toinclude a substantially cylindrically shaped tube 12 having an insideface 14, an outside face 16, and terminating at its lengthwise ends in alower edge 18 and a flange 20 as can be more fully see in FIG. 1. Theflange 20 has a lower surface 22, an upper surface 24, and an outersurface 26. The upper surface 24 is provided with a funnel shapedopening 28 which leads to a passageway 30 that terminates at its lowerend in an outlet 32 on the inside face 14. as can be fully seen in FIG.2.

Integrally attached to the inside face 14 at a point between the loweredge 18 and the flange 20 is a conical shaped lip 34 which slopesdownwardly from the inside face 14 towards the lower edge 18 and whichterminates in an opening 36 below the conically shaped lip 34, and injuxtaposition to it and the inside face 14 is a circular shaped trough38 into which the outlet 32 opens and which contains an absorbent pad40. The absorbend pad 40 is adapted for treatment with an insecticidewhich is protected from being washed out of the absorbent pad 40 by theconically shaped lip 43 which prevents the flow of water through theinsect guard 10 from impinging upon said absorbent pad or flowing intothe trough 38.

In operation on insect guard 10 is chosen so that its outside diameteris slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the sewer or drainopening 42 in which it will be used. The insect guard 10 then isinserted into a sewer or drain opening 42 so that the lower surface 22lies in contact with the top of the sewer of drain opening 42. Theabsorbent pad 40 is then treated by pouring insecticide down the funnelshaped opening 28 so as to completely fill the trough 38.

It is to be understood that the insect guard 10 will be made of amaterial having a low coefiicient of friction such as Teflon, nylon, orgel-coated Fiberglas, etc. Thus, any insect attempting to enter abuilding through a sewer or drain opening 42 in which the presentinvention is used will have difliculty in obtaining a secure footing onthe low coefiicient of friction material. Any insect capable of climbingapproximately half way up the insect guard 10 will first come in contactwith the absorbent pad 40 coated with insecticide. In climbing over theabsorbent pad 40 the insect will receive a lethal dose of poison whichwill ultimately kill it. At that point the poisoned insect will face thefurther obstacle of climbing over the downward projecting conical shapedlip 34 as can be further seen from FIG. 2. It will be virtuallyimpossible for an insect to secure the necessary footing to cross theconical shaped lip 34 which also is made of the same low coefiicient offriction material as the insect guard 10.

Another embodiment of the insect guard 44 for sewer and drain openingsis shown in FIG. 3. An insect guard 44 made in accordance with thisembodiment is shown to include a substantially cylindrically shaped tube46 having an inside face 48, an outside face 50, and terminating at itslengthwise ends in a lower edge 52 and a flange 54. The flange 54. has alower surface 56, an upper surface 58, and an outside surface 60.Integrally attached to the inside face 48 at a point about midwaybetween the lower edge 52 and the flange 54, is a plurality of flexibleflaps 62 which form, when in their undistended position, a conicalsection 64. This embodiment of the insect guard 44 is inserted into asewer or drain opening 42 in the same manner as the insect guard 10. Inuse the insect guard 44 prevents any insects from entering a buildingthrough a sewer or drain opening since the flaps 62, when in anundistended position, present a solid barrier to any insects that areable to first climb up the low coefiicient of friction inside face 48 soas to reach the flaps.

The insect guard 44 will be constructed of a flexible material having alow coeflicient of friction.

In use an insect guard 44 of the proper diameter is chosen to fit thesewer or drain opening 42. The insect guard 44 is then inserted into thesewer or drain opening 42 so that the lower surface 56 lies in contactwith the top of the sewer or drain opening.

When water is flowing through the insect guard 44 the flexible flapswill be depressed by the water pressure allowing it to escape from thebuilding. When there is no flow of water the flaps 62 will return totheir original position forming the conical section 64 and thuspreventing any insects from entering the building. It should be notedthat the flexible flaps 62, because of their design, will only slightlyimpede the flow of water leaving through the sewer or drain opening 42.

Still another embodiment of the insect guard 66 is shown in FIG. 4. Aninsect guard for sewer and drain openings 66 made in accordance with thepresent invention is shown to include a substantially cylindrical shapedtube 68 having an inside face 70, an outside face 72, and terminating atits lengthwise ends in a lower edge 74 and a flange 76 as can be morefully seen in FIG. 4. The flange 76 has a lower surface 78, an uppersurface 86*, and an outside surface 82.

Integrally attached to the inside face 70 at a point about midwaybetween the lower edge 74 and the flange 76 is a concentric constriction84 which terminates at its center in a circular opening 86. Inserted inthe circular opening 86 is a flapper door 88, which is hinged to theconcentric constriction by a hinge 90*. A spring 92 is attached at oneend to the upper portion of the flapper door 88 and at the other end tothe inside face 70 so that the flapper. door 88 is maintained in aclosed position when water is not exiting through the sewer or drainpipe. When in use the pressure of the water forces the flapper door 88downward, placing the spring 92 in tension which is in equilibrium withthe water pressure.

In operation an insect guard 66 of the proper diameter is chosen to fitthe sewer or drain opening 42. The insect guard 66 is then inserted intothe sewer or drain opening 42 so that the lower surface 78 lies incontact with the top of the sewer or drain opening 42.

When water is flowing through the insect guard 66 the flapper door 88will be forced open by the water pressure allowing it to escape from thebuilding. When the flow of water stops, the spring 92 will return theflapper door 88 to its closed position, thus preventing insects fromentering the building. The spring constant of spring 92 will be suchthat it will take only a slight amount of pressure to open the flapperdoor 88, thereby preventing water from accumulating in the area of thesewer or drain opening 42.

It is to be understood that the sewer guards 10', 44 and 66 may be madeof any low coeflicient of friction material such as Teflon, nylon orgel-coated Fiberglas which are somewhat (flexible so that they may beforced into a sewer or drain opening 42. In addition, the insect guardsmay be made of varying lengths and diameters to accommodate varioussewer and drain pipe openings.

While there has been described and illustrated preferred embodiments ofsewer guards to prevent insects from entering buildings through sewerand drain pipes, it is apparent that numerous alternatives, deletionsand additions may be made without department from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. An insect guard for sewer and drain openings comprising a cylindricalshaped member having an outside diameter less than that of the sewer anddrain openings and made of a low coeflicient of friction material, aflanged member secured to the upper end of the cylindrical shapedmember, and a plurality of means for preventing insects from crawlingthrough the cylindrical shaped member being disposed centrally to it, sothat said cylindrical shaped member may be inserted into sewer and drainopenings for the purposes of allowing waste water to flow down throughit and to prevent insects from crawling up through it.

2. An insect guard for sewer and drain openings in accordance with claim1 wherein the plurality of means for preventing insects from crawlingthrough the cylindrical shaped member consists of a conical shaped lip,a trough, an absorbent pad which lies within the trough, and means forfilling the trough with an insecticide.

3. An insect guard for sewer and drain openings in accordance with claim2 wherein the conical shaped lip slopes downwardly and terminates at itslower end in an opening through which waste water can flow down throughthe cylindrical shaped member.

4. An insect guard for sewer and drain openings in accordance with claim3 wherein the absorbent pad and trough lie below the conical shaped lipand are in juxtaposition with it so that they coact with the lowcoeflicient of friction material of the cylindrical shaped member, andthus prevent insects from crawling upward through the cylindrical shapedmember.

5. An insect guard for sewer and drain openings in accordance with claim2 wherein the means for filling the trough with an insecticide consistsof a funnel shaped opening in the flanged member, a passageway throughthe cylindrical shaped member and lower outlet to the trough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,768 12/1936 Statfel 43-1312,856,724 10/1958 Bodenbach et a1. 43-131 3,429,084 2/ 1969 Brewer43-421 WA'RNER H. CAMP, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.-R. 43--131

